It's the Little Things LO9362

Keith Cowan (72212.51@CompuServe.COM)
22 Aug 96 16:18:37 EDT

Replying to LO9074 --

J C Howell <orgpsych@csra.net> emphasizes the value of actual
experience in building credibility and understanding:
>...
>I look around many organizations that I encounter today and I don't see
>that same level of affinity for the people who make up the organizations
>and the work that they do. Often demands to perform are placed on people
>that are unrealistic and people are held accountably (read: to blame) for
>things over which they have no control. When I explore the situation I
>find that it is apparent to all that the "boss" has no clue what it takes
>to make what they ask for a reality. They don't have an appreciation for
>the little things that make the organization work.
>
>I wonder what would happen if CEO's and VP's were required to scrub
>toilets as janitors in their own companies for a few days every year or
>so. I wonder what would happen if they were required to enter endless
>streams of data or maintain training and payroll records in similar
>fashion and duration.

I was brought in as a VP Operations with a mandate to implement a BPR
project. I spent the early days on the front lines talking to the
people, listening to their ideas, even showing up at midnight for a
shift changeover. I learned a lot in a very short time. I also got a
tremendous respect for these people and knew some of them by name.
I implemented many of their ideas and made sure they were part of the
solution design.

So let me reinforce your points which you made so well.
People respect those that have "been there" and will put out
when they respect their leaders. Leaders that do not know "their"
business develop a rift in spite of all the efforts.

An interesting epilog developed. I left after my project was done and
they brought in an old guard manager as VP. Service gradually eroded
to the point were the CEO called me back for remedial repairs. The
first week I was back, service was back to normal and I went down to
thank some of my friends. I joked to the CEO that he had made the right
decision when the first month was perfect, then the second and on for
the whole 9 month assignment. These people were subconsciously not
caring about service because they felt uncared for. When I returned,
they returned to their superior behaviour.

As part of this assignment, I insisted on having the scope of effort
include recruiting my successor. He was picked for his "hands-on"
style, and service has remained steady ever since.

A lesson in human "chemistry".

-- 

Keith Cowan <72212.51@CompuServe.COM>

Learning-org -- An Internet Dialog on Learning Organizations For info: <rkarash@karash.com> -or- <http://world.std.com/~lo/>